Abstract: An ion beam system for modifying a sample or workpiece surface, comprises: an ion source for generating ions; an ion beam focusing column configured to direct ions from the ion source to form an ion beam and focus the ion beam towards a target area; and a sample stage for receiving and positioning the sample or workpiece at the target area, wherein the ion beam focusing column comprises: an aperture plate having a non-circular beam limiting aperture configured to limit the extent of a transmitted ion beam; and a multipole aberration compensator configured to apply a four-fold astigmatism to the ion beam to compensate spherical aberration produced by one or more lenses in the ion beam focusing column. The multipole aberration compensator may be a multipole element that generates an octupole field. A corresponding method is provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for imaging a sample with a charged particle microscope comprises after scanning a region of interest (ROI) of a sample with an electron beam and acquiring X-rays emitted from the sample, scanning the ROI with an ion beam and acquiring ion-induced photons emitted from the sample. A spatial distribution of multiple elements in the sample may be determined based on both the acquired X-rays and the acquired ion-induced photons.

Abstract: A focused ion beam (FIB) is used to mill beam spots into a substrate at a variety of ion beam column settings to form a set of training images that are used to train a convolutional neural network. After the neural network is trained, an ion beam can be adjusted by obtaining spot image which is processed with the neural network. The neural network can provide a magnitude and direction of defocus, aperture position, lens adjustments, or other ion beam or ion beam column settings. In some cases, adjustments are not made by the neural network, but serve to indicate that the ion beam and associated ion column continue to operate stably, and additional adjustment is not required.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are example embodiments for performing microscopy using microscope systems that combine both scanning-electron-microscope-cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL) microscopy and focused-ion-beam ion-induced optical emission (FIB-IOE) microscopy. Certain embodiments comprise operating a microscopy system in a first microscopy mode in which an electron beam interacts with a sample at a sample location and causes first-mode photons and electrons to be emitted, the first-mode photons including photons generated through a cathodoluminescence process; and operating a microscopy system in a second microscopy mode in which an ion beam interacts with a sample at the sample location and causes second-mode photons to be emitted, the second-mode photons including photons generated through an ion-induced luminescence process and photons generated through an atomic de-excitation process.

Abstract: A focused ion beam (FIB) is used to mill beam spots into a substrate at a variety of ion beam column settings to form a set of training images that are used to train a convolutional neural network. After the neural network is trained, an ion beam can be adjusted by obtaining spot image which is processed with the neural network. The neural network can provide a magnitude and direction of defocus, aperture position, lens adjustments, or other ion beam or ion beam column settings. In some cases, adjustments are not made by the neural network, but serve to indicate that the ion beam and associated ion column continue to operate stably, and additional adjustment is not required.

Abstract: Apparatus include a reflector positioned adjacent to a sample location that is situated to receive a charged particle beam (CPB) along a CPB axis from a CPB focusing assembly so that the reflector is situated to receive light emitted from a sample at the sample location based on a CPB-sample interaction or a photon-sample interaction and to direct the light to a photodetector, and a steering electrode situated adjacent to the reflector so as to direct secondary charged particles emitted from the sample based on the CPB-sample interaction away from the reflector and CPB axis. Methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are example embodiments for performing microscopy using microscope systems that combine both scanning-electron-microscope-cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL) microscopy and focused-ion-beam ion-induced optical emission (FIB-IOE) microscopy. Certain embodiments comprise operating a microscopy system in a first microscopy mode in which an electron beam interacts with a sample at a sample location and causes first-mode photons and electrons to be emitted, the first-mode photons including photons generated through a cathodoluminescence process; and operating a microscopy system in a second microscopy mode in which an ion beam interacts with a sample at the sample location and causes second-mode photons to be emitted, the second-mode photons including photons generated through an ion-induced luminescence process and photons generated through an atomic de-excitation process.

Abstract: Apparatus include a reflector positioned adjacent to a sample location that is situated to receive a charged particle beam (CPB) along a CPB axis from a CPB focusing assembly so that the reflector is situated to receive light emitted from a sample at the sample location based on a CPB-sample interaction or a photon-sample interaction and to direct the light to a photodetector, and a steering electrode situated adjacent to the reflector so as to direct secondary charged particles emitted from the sample based on the CPB-sample interaction away from the reflector and CPB axis. Methods and systems are also disclosed.